The Inside and Outside of LF-A Study of the Current Minimalist Program

2000 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 11610490
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 英語・英米文学
• Research Institution: Tsuda College
• Principal Investigator: IKE-UCHI Masayuki Tsuda College, Dept.of English, Professor, 学芸学部・英文学科, 教授 (20105381)
• Project Period (FY): 1999 – 2000
• Keywords: minimalist program / Merge / c-command / emerge / predication / external systems / superordination

Research Abstract

First, the notion of c-command has been considered. The structural relation of c-command is not directly provided by the structure-building operation Merge in the Minimalist theory, but is given by the composition of relations, that is, the composition of sister and contain. Thus the relation of c-command is a secondary relation, and is an emergent property in the sense of the complexity theory. It is in this sense that c-command is defined in narrow syntax. It is not the case that narrow syntax itself "intentionally" constructs this relation. It is here that the emergent relation of c-command is not (crucially) used in narrow syntax.
Second, a new insight has been given concerning the relationship between language and external systems such as systems of thought and cognition. As an example, the relation between LF/predication and the cognitive system has been closely examined. Narrow syntax builds LF, and predication interpretation applies to it, deriving the semantic interpretation of predication. The fundamental meaning of predication is that a general concept is applied to a particular entity. The counterpart in the external system of cognition is the superordination and subordination of concepts. The development of superordination lets predication in language possible, as is seen in a basic sentence like "A dog is an animal."